Triston Casas hits 3 HRs in 1st game, Gonzalez hits 3-run HR in nightcap as Red Sox sweep Twins

BOSTON (AP) — The struggling Minnesota Twins were swept in a split doubleheader against Boston on Sunday, when Romy Gonzalez hit a three-run homer and drove in four runs in the nightcap to lead the Red Sox to a 9-3 victory.

Losing for the 13th time in 19 games, the Twins fell a game behind both Detroit and Kansas City for the AL’s final two wild-card spots. They own the tiebreaker over both. All three teams have six games left to play.

“We do feel like we’re in a funk and we’re not scoring the runs we need to. We know what it feels like, we know what it looks like. We’ve done it many times before,” Twins manager Rocco Baldelli said. “There’s no way to force it in our game. You can’t make it happen, you can’t put the ball in the best player’s hands. You have to do it as a team. ... We’re thinking about this. That’s all I think about. I go to bed every night thinking about this all the time.”

Minnesota (81-75) is just 11-22 since going 17 games over .500 on Aug. 17.

“It was an especially tough day today, we lost both games,″ Twins first baseman Carlos Santana said in a quiet clubhouse. ”We go back home, six more games left and try to finish strong. We have to finish strong.″

The Red Sox won for just the ninth time in 23 games to get back to .500 (78-78) after fading in the playoff chase. They’re only 24-36 since the All-Star break.

In the opener, Triston Casas homered in his first three at-bats and drove in seven runs, carrying the Red Sox to an 8-1 victory.

With the Twins leading the second game 2-0 in the fifth, Gonzalez’s sent his three-run drive into the Green Monster seats in deep left-center off Cole Irvin (6-6).

Jarren Duran had a two-run double off the Monster in Boston’s six-run sixth that increased it to 9-2. Gonzalez added a sacrifice fly, and Masataka Yoshida and Connor Wong both had an RBI single.

Kutter Crawford (9-15) pitched a career-high 7 2/3 innings, allowing three runs and eight hits with seven strikeouts and no walks.

Minnesota’s Kyle Farmer extended his hitting streak to 13 games.

The nightcap was the makeup from Saturday’s rainout.

With a chance at tying history and the crowd cheering in the first game, the 24-year-old Casas grounded out in his fourth at-bat. He never got up again.

“I felt the most locked in I have all season,” Casas said. “I wasn’t going in with the intention to beat the ball to a spot. I was reacting to where it was, and keeping my posture and letting the bat go over the right part of the plate.”

The record for homers in a game is four, and it’s been done 18 times in MLB history.

The last to hit four in a game was J.D. Martinez, on Sept. 4, 2017, when he was playing for Arizona against the Los Angeles Dodgers. No AL player has done it since Josh Hamilton, playing for Texas, did it against the Baltimore Orioles May 8, 2012.

Casas’ first came with two runners on off a first-pitch fastball from Pablo López (15-9) in the opening inning and sailed an estimated 400 feet, landing in the seats behind Boston’s bullpen. His second — also off López — was an opposite field drive into the Monster seats in the third, also with two runners on that made it 6-0. Casas’ third was on the first pitch from reliever Brent Headrick leading off the fifth inning that gave the Red Sox an 8-1 lead.

Nick Pivetta (6-11) gave up an unearned run in five innings.

López was tagged for seven runs and nine hits in four innings. He had allowed two or fewer runs in 10 of his last 12 starts.

“There’s no sugar-coating it. Not the performance I was looking for, especially with what this game means,” he said. “Didn’t provide the length, didn’t provide the quality.”

Red Sox manager Alex Cora was ejected in the first inning. He became irate after the umpiring crew came together and decided to allow Byron Buxton to advance to third on an interference call at second on a pickoff attempt.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Red Sox: OF Tyler O’Neill didn’t play because he’s been dealing with back tightness.

UP NEXT

Twins: RHP Bailey Ober (12-7, 3.84 ERA) is set to start the opener of a three-game series Tuesday at home against Miami. LHP Ryan Weathers (3-6, 3.94) is set for the Marlins.

Red Sox: Open their final road series Monday in Toronto. RHP Tanner Houck (8-10, 3.21) is slated to start against Blue Jays RHP Chris Bassitt (10-13, 4.16).

AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb

Ken Powtak, The Associated Press